Need Recommendations for Sleep Options for Newborn

The bassinet worked wonders for us. I kept it right by my side of the bed so I could hear her breathing (she was a preemie and I was totally paranoid when I brought her home) and she could hear me comfort her. I also got swaddlers for her and that seemed to work wonders as well. She was swaddled in the NICU the whole time, so she was used to being wrapped up and put down to sleep. I think if you can establish that pattern, they really adjust to it well. She now (6 months old) sleeps in a crib in a room separate from us just fine (although, she was in the hospital for an extended period of time due to heart problems, so she was forced to get used to sleeping on her own). But, I really think the bassinet was a lifesaver for us.

I did a combination of co-sleeping and bassinet for both of my children. Sometimes I would actually use the infant carseat, as they preferred that "snug" feeling.

Hi T.,
I had the same scenario that you have. My first daughter co slept with us until she was 3yo. I think I had a harder time with the separation than she did. My son on the other hand, (3 years younger than my oldest) only wanted to sleep in the crib next to us. I had a bassinet that was borrowed for the first 2-3 months. You might want to try an Arms Reach co-sleeper that works like a crib but perfect for moms that are nursing. The funny thing is my son, now 5, comes to sleep with us in the middle of the night. My oldest daughter, she sleeps fine in her own bed. Go figure...

I just had really good luck with my son.... We had a co-sleeper, but I would say for the first month or so, he did not like it and slept in bed with us. Then I started putting him in it when he was around a month old. In the beginning, he would not make it the whole night, sometimes just a few hours before I would have to pull him into bed with us. But, by a few months old, he would sleep by himself in it the whole night. At 5 months, we transitioned the co-sleeper in the bassinet (most co-sleeper will do this. It just has a side that comes down in order to attach to your bed.) We moved the bassinet to across the room so my little guy could get used to sleeping away from us. At 6 months, we started putting him in has crib is his nursery all by himself. Maybe we just got lucky, but we had no problems at all! I think that it was the slow transitions that helped. Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!

We used a bassinet for both my kids until they outgrew it. I think it was great...they didn't feel "lost" because of their small size compared to the larger size of a regular crib...

I also have found out recently about the Nap Nanny...might be worth checking out:
http://www.napnanny.com/the_napnanny.html

Good luck
P.

T.,
I highly recommend the Amby baby hammock, it is great and can be used from newborn to about one year old. It is also small/portable, so can be easily moved and even travels well.
http://www.ambybaby.com/.

we used a bassinet that my boss made for her grandkids and let us borrow. we used it for about 3+ months and the transition to the crib went really easy. i have to say, you never can tell whether your baby will sleep well or not. my daughter was terrible and at 2 is getting better. my son has always been a great sleeper. good luck. hopefully #2 will be patient so you can have time with #1. at first it is difficult with 2, but it get easier quickly and the next thing you know you're into a routine! good luck! enjoy every minute!

I used a bassinet with my first born and then a co-sleeper with my second. I highly recommend the co-sleeper. The co-sleeper really helped me to get sleep. Because the side towards my bed comes down I could easily see my baby when I was laying down. I did not have to pop my head up every time I heard a noise and it was very easy for me to soothe him while booth of us still laid in bed. I think it helped me rock him to sleep less and therefore he is a much better sleeper now.

My husband and I used a co-sleeper for our 4 month old for the first three months for her to sleep in at night to make it easier for me to feed her in the middle of the night and for us to be able to check on her or soothe her when she got fussy at night. During the day, however, we had her take her naps in her crib from the first day we brought her home from the hospital. That way, when we put her into the crib to sleep at night once she was 3 months old and sleeping 12 hours a night, the transition to the crib wasn't a problem since she was used to taking her naps in it. By having a co-sleeper, your 2nd will sleep in the same room w/you, but not in your bed. Also, a good tip that we were given about sleeping a baby in the crib is to put the baby so that she is tucked into the corner of the crib so that her head is basically touching the bumper where the corners meet. This apparently makes the baby feel more safe and secure b/c they're enveloped on 2 sides and is more similar to how they feel in the womb when they're surrounded by the placenta. I was told that when you put a baby in the middle of the crib, the space is so large that the baby feels like he/she is sleeping in an ocean, which is why a lot of babies don't like sleeping in a crib. Hope this helps and good luck w/#2!

We also had great success with our daughter in the bassinet next to our bed. Our bassinet had a removable side that turned it into a co-sleeper, which was great for middle of the night breastfeedings, etc. She was right there, but safely in her own space at the same time.
We chose to get a bassinet rather than use the pack and play because it was deeper and we felt she'd be able to use it longer. (we ordered the extra long bassinet and our 21 in. daughter fit it fine for the first 4 months before she transitioned)
We also put her in her crib for naps from the very start so she had no problem transitioning at all. In fact, the first time she slept in her crib all night was kind of an accident, she took a late nap and just kept on sleeping! I know I had a harder time with her moving into her own room than she did!
It is true that they can feel 'lost' in such a big space at first, but rather than put them in the corner of the crib next to the bumper (which can leave them at higher risk for SIDS because of less ventilation) we would always swaddle her tightly and she was fine. We also had an infant positioner that was great with foam wedges that started right below her armpits. It kept her feeling safe and snuggled as well as reducing SIDS risk... a win-win!
Good luck! :)

Both of my kids slept in the bassinet part of the pack n play and it worked great. I could nurse them and them put them to sleep right next to my bed. At 3 months old I transitioned them to a crib because at 6 weeks they no longer woke up at night to eat. I think the earlier you can move to a crib the better, because they are more flexible the younger they are.

I found a Pack-n-Play much more useful than a bassinet - if not as cute. Many of them come with a changing table attachment so it's great in your bedroom for those late night diaper blow-outs. My son was a preemie and still only fit in his bassinet for about 2-3 months - big waste of money! If you haven't already - read "The Happiest Baby on the Block" for help getting the baby to sleep and STAYING asleep.
I'm expecting #2 this Winter - getting a little nervous about keeping everyone happy and on schedule!

Hello!

I love my Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper. We used it at night until my daughter was about four months old. We stopped b/c I needed to let her cry a little bit at night (she was waking every two hours) and I couldn't let her cry when she was that close to us (plus she'd wake my hubby.) She always napped in her crib so the transition was easy for her.

We are still using the co-sleeper as a portable crib when we go on vacation.

Do NOT use a Simplicity Co-Sleeper. They have been recalled.

Hi T.,

I echo Shelley's response about the Amby Bed. Not only does it cradle the baby so that it feels incredibly secure and enclosed, but it also reduces colic, acid reflux and SIDS because their head is slightly elevated and they literally can't turn over in it. There is a lot of useful information about how it works on their website - which Shelley gave. The other good thing is that because it is so portable (small and light) we could slide it into our room for the night and then back into our son's room for his day time naps.

My little boy was in it until he was 13 months and then we transitioned him into a crib. He is now 2 1/2 and is a perfect sleeper.

Good luck. We have another one due in October as well, so I understand all of your anxieties about wanting to do things 'better' next time.

Take care and all the best, D.

Greetings T.: I know that you have recieved several responses, but I wanted to give you another line of thought.
Being the mother of 5 and now a grandmother I have had many children that have slept with us over the years.
Never understood why we didn't turn the family room into our bedroom and get a king size bed but never did. I have to honestly say that even today our kids think nothing of curling up in our bed with us just to talk so there are rewards later in life.
We kept a pile of blankets and quilts in the room along with slumber bags and the little ones could build nests and sleep like big bird. I found that it was actually more fun for the child to have sibling in the room with them so they are not alone and don't feel like they are missing out on anything. So I can suggest that you put both children together from the start and let the older sibling feel like this really is their buddy/ baby and they can watch over the baby with you.
To give you a giggle... once when we were painting rooms and had both childrens rooms apart when we were putting it back together because they insisted we put all 4 in the same room and they slept better than they ever had before! We then turned the other room into a play space that was wonderful. So try the BIG BIRD NEST and see if that helps and then enjoying letting your little one nap and try bedtime in their own room. Parents need privacy as well and to rest so that yoou can climb the mountains of laundry, work, and children's needs. Enjoy your adventure of parenthood, it really is the greatest thing you will ever do. Nana G

I used a bassinet for my firstborn and was given a co-sleeper for my 2nd. Have to say the co-sleeper worked out so much better for us than the bassinet. With the bassinet even with it right next to our bed I had to get up to change diapers or pick my son up to feed him. With the co-sleeper I could do it all from my bed. So much easier and we all slept so much better. It is also nice to be able to reach out and put a hand on my baby when she stirred and calm her back to sleep without having to nurse or pick her up. My daughter was a terrific sleeper and I credit some of that to the setup. When she was 3 months we easily transitioned her from co-sleeper to her crib without any problems and she immediately started sleeping through the night. Would highly recommend the co-sleeper.

Hi! Congratulations! I had great luck with one of those pack n play that have the bassinet inserts and just put it next to our bed and then at about 1 1/2 months transferred him into his own room in a crib. That way after you are done using the bassinet part you can still use the pack n play for travel or play pen if you want. He is almost 2 1/2 months now. We also got him one of those light up toys that attaches to the crib that plays music and projects a picture onto the ceiling for him to watch, he seems to really like that. Good luck!